


Len is cryptic. It's super effective. Mick is confused.

by tatch



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), DCU, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Leonard, Barry should keep his hands to himself, Canon-Typical Violence, Chronos is emotionally stunted, Happy Ending, Last chapter will be Len's POV, Len And Mick Understand Each Other Without Talking, Leonard is Oblivious, Lisa always knew duh, Lisa doesn't know how to help, M/M, Mick is Confused, Mick is Stubborn, Sara Ships It, mostly Mick POV, ok probably a bit more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-06-06 05:09:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6739348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatch/pseuds/tatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mick has always been in love with Len. He was in love with that punk before he even knew what love was. Problem is, Mick has no idea whether Len is into guys or not, let alone into him. Thinking about it, he doesn't remember Len being with anyone ever. That and Leonard Snart is the most oblivious human being when it comes to relationships.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In which somebody asks obnoxious questions and gets shot as a result

 

They meet in juvie.

The new guy is quite the smartass. He managed to get Mick to bark a laugh, just by mouthing off. (and he wasn't even talking to Mick at the time.) Too bad the punk won't last long. Between his guts and the fact that he is the son of a cop (the fact that said cop is a dirty one doesn't change anything), New Guy has already become the target of bad intentions. Not that Mick cares but the kid seems to attract trouble. Mick likes trouble.  
Word is Snart (that's the new kid's name apparently) won't make it 'til the end of week. Mick's sure somebody is bound to try something long before that.

It happens at the next mealtime. Snart's tense but he doesn't see the guy behind him. The guy pulls out a shiv, moves to Snart, his intentions clear. And next thing Mick knows he's in a middle of a goddamn brawl, roaring. His fists are covered in blood and the shiv guy is currently on the floor writhing in pain, holding his right arm close to his chest. There's something that looks suspiciously like bone pointing from his wrist. Mick stills and his opponents scramble away. They reek of fear. He looks up and meets Snart's eyes. The kid's not afraid. His eyes are widened a bit but it's in surprise. Like the teen is unused to people standing up for him. They lock eyes. Snart regains his cool pretty fast and nods in thank, a smirk on his lips.

Adults show up and try to take Mick to isolation. Snart chimes in from the corner he has backed into. He points to the guy squirming on the floor. "That one just tried to knife me. If not for that big lug, I'd be dead now", Snart drawls. "I don't think that's the kind of advertisement you'd want for this place." Mick isn't sure if it's Snart's tone or if they're just damn lucky but it works. They take the shiv kid to the infirmary and leave them alone. Mick grins.

Looks like Mick Rory finally found someone he'd be willing to share a room with.

 

* * *

 

The first time Mick realizes he might have more than just feelings of kinship for Len, they're in their twenties and in the middle of a heist.

He almost drops the bag he's currently carrying at the thought. He can see Len look at him from the corner of his eye but if his partner is worried he doesn't show it. They wrap up and thanks to Len's impeccable timing they escape easily and long before the police shows up.

Back at the warehouse they're living in these days (mostly Mick 'cause Len needs to take care of his baby sister), Mick almost manages to avoid questioning. But Len's icy drawl freezes him in his tracks. "What's going on, Mick?"

"Just got distracted for a sec, 's all.", Mick grumbles in answer.

Unlike Len, Mick is not the kind to compartmentalize easily. He can do it but he needs time to think things over. Time that he apparently doesn't have because Len narrows his eyes and marches to him in that predatory-murderous way of his. And shit, that murder swagger does things to Mick. He might have to take some time off 'cause he ain't sure he can deal with Len without spilling the beans yet. Len's close enough that he could kiss him but taking his eyes off the chilling glare that's nailing him right now would be advertising that something is indeed wrong. After all, Mick's never backed out of a fight before.

"C'mon punk, I get distracted all the time." And Len backs off just like that, rolling his eyes in fond annoyance. "Try not to get too distracted while we're working, Mick. It could cost us someday." The tone is clipped though.  
Mick knows what Len's saying without actually saying it. _'I won't ask about it if you don't want to talk about it, but get yourself sorted out or I'll work on my own next time.'_

Mick barks a laugh and goes to work on that bike he stole two months ago in Coast City. Shortly after he hears the front door clang softly, signaling Len's departure. And shit, Mick's pants are way too tight by now. Len has a way to smash all of his buttons. He had not dared think while his partner was still around but now, he does.

He is quite uncertain about his feelings for Len. He's known the guy since they were both teens and they're practically like brothers. He is content with the relationship they have. Yet, sometimes Len does things that make him ache inside. Mick scratches his scalp, a deep frown on his face. Despite what people might think, Mick's not stupid. It's just that since he usually has Snart with him, he doesn't bother with schemes or subtlety. So Mick knows that he's feeling stuff, has been for a while now, for Len. He also knows that Len never shown a single sign of interest toward him. Or men in general. Or anyone ever now that Mick really thinks about it.

Hell if he knows what to do with that discovery.

 

* * *

 

It's a big job being planned and a few years later that Mick finally gets his clue. After all his brainstorming in the warehouse, he had decided to leave things alone. 'cause anyway he had no idea as to what he could do regarding Len and his feelings. Better drop it before he burned himself.

The job is big enough that the two of them won't be enough so Len goes and finds them a crew. Idiots, all of them but they'll do for a one time thing. One of the guys might prove problematic though. He's chatty. And not the good kind. He's asking questions, personal questions and babbling about his life. How his girlfriend walked out on him not three weeks ago. How he lost all his money betting on the wrong horse again. And he keeps on and on.

At some point, he starts straying down the sex related questions. And apparently he already knows the other two Len brought back with him because he doesn't bother asking them anything. "Rory, do you know what's the most beautiful sight a man can see?" Mick sneers. The other takes that as an answer and keeps digging. "That's right, a naked women in your bed!" Mick's absence of reaction at that must trigger some sort weird train of thought in the voluble two-legged annoyance because his face falls a bit and he adds hurriedly "Or a naked guy, of course! Depending on which way you swing! Not that that matters anyway! You can swing whichever way you want!" Mick grunts a non committal noise and that's when the idiot makes a mistake. He turns toward Snart.

  
"Hey Snart, what about you? Which way do you swing?" Len's raised eyebrow should be enough of a warning for the meddling idiot to know that he's gone too far and should back off right now. Len is nothing if not privy about his life. Mick's the only one that knows personal things about Leonard Snart and even he doesn't know much. Said arsonist remains as stoic as ever but on the inside his blood is thrumming. Now that's a question he'd like to hear the answer to too. That way he may finally know what to do with those feelings he has been carrying for God knows how long now.

  
Len is taking his sweet time, not quite ignoring the idiot, finishing to clean his weapon. The talkative dumbass must feel like it's taking too long because he tries again. "It's just that nobody's ever seen you with anyone. Come on, it's no big deal whichever way you swing. Who cares! Am I right guys?"

The other criminals take a step back and Mick winces internally. That's not gonna end well. And just on cue, Len finishes with his weapon cleaning and shots the happy blabbering now-a-corpse between the eyes. The cold blooded rogue then stands there for a few seconds nailing them with a downright arctic glare (Len sure does like his dramatic effects) and finally drawls a "I don't swing." His icy look dares anyone to comment and when no one does, he turns heels and leaves the room. As soon as Len's out of sight, Mick frowns.

That sure had been cryptic. Like most things when it came to Len. But still.

 


	2. In which a certain Streak better keep his hands to himself or else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe you guys like this so much! Thanks a lot for all the love :3

 

Mick screws up.

It's a wonder it didn't happen sooner really. The job should have been easy. It kinda had been, until Mick got lost in thought while staring at some of Len's moves. As time passed Len's way of moving started having more and more effect on Mick, until it reaches the point where some days Len simply walking around gives Mick very very dirty thoughts. It's so disturbing. It's just Len for chrissakes. It's more or less the train of thought in Mick's head as he focuses on Lenny for what seems like an eternity but probably only lasts a handful of seconds.

Len turns his way from the other side of the hallway and time slows down. Len's eyes widen and his face twists in a funny expression. Funny is probably not it but Mick's sense of what's funny is pretty twisted itself. So it's no surprise it takes longer than it should have for him to register that the expression on Len's face is one of distress and anger. Mick's eyes widen too as he realizes that Snart's not looking at Mick but at something behind him. Mick turns and freezes. The corner they just passed is now engulfed in an ocean of roaring fire. The fire he started as they were leaving must have met an accelerant of some kind to get so big so fast.

Fire's so pretty ain't it? Mick used to think that fire was the most beautiful thing that could be. He's kind of conflicted now. Is fire the most perfect thing on Earth or as Len taken that spot? Tough question. Mick's ears are ringing. Maybe he shouldn't stand so close to the inferno. He turns back and sees Len's face change again. On the walls, the fire has moved past Mick now. That expression on Len's face is one that Mick wishes he'll never see again. Snart's shutting him out, distancing himself from Mick.

The arsonist opens his mouth ready to call for Lenny, to apologize, whatever it'll take for Len to acknowledge him again. But Snart is turning and leaving, running toward the exit. Mick starts to follow but there's a weird smell in the air. Shit, he's on fire. Mick tries to put the fire out but he's in the middle of a burning hallway. He runs, still burning and gets out. No sign of Snart. Fuck. The pain finally pierces through the trance Len then the fire had put him in. He hollers in pain, rolls on the ground trying to put the fire out. It takes a minute or two but he's no longer about to turn into a kebab. Fucking Christ it hurts. Mick's vision fades in and out. He tries to get up. Can't stay here, the cops will be there any minute now.

The effort and the agony moving puts him through must have had him pass out because when he opens his eyes again he is in the back of an ambulance. He blinks. The medics must have shot him full of painkillers 'cause everything's kinda fuzzy and he can't quite feel his body. Which is actually kinda nice. Every now and then a spike of pain shots through him but the meds are making him feel content. Too bad Len's not here. Then things would be just perfect. Shit, Len. Mick's brain, muddled as it is by the drugs, takes his sweet time remembering what happened before he ended up in that ambulance. Fuck, Mick needs to leave now. Can't let the cops find and question him. Mick's not sure he'd be able to to stay coherent and not slip about Len's involvement. Not in the state he's in. He needs to take the heat off of Len.

Ah well, won't be the first time he'll be tending to his own wounds anyway.

 

* * *

 

  
The next time Len comes to him with a job, it's been months and his partner is distant.

There's word that Central City now has its very own vigilante. Mick's more concerned by the fact that Len's barely talking to him. His tone's clipped, professional. Mick's getting the cold shoulder treatment and craves the warmth he'd grown used to receive from Snart. Despite the coldness Snart's radiating, he's coming with a job and a gift. The heat gun is a beauty. The flames it gives birth to are magnificent. And the fact that it was a gift from Lenny just takes the cake.

Len insists on Mick learning the ins and outs of the gun. Mick does and gets to have Len around him once gain. And fuck, Len's like a goddamn piece of art when he moves.

Stealing the painting is a piece of cake and a lot of fun. Len's subsequent frustrated lash out isn't. There's something different about him, an obsession dancing in his eyes. That's not the Snart Mick's used to. The Leonard Snart Mick knows is a cold-blooded, frosty professional thief. He wouldn't have fun while on jobs 'cause it's just business as usual. He wouldn't get frustrated because someone who's trying to put them in jail doesn't show up. He wouldn't let Mick just walk out on him.

Mick is angry. Seriously angry. Somebody did this to his Len, changed him, got under his armor and left a big enough impression that it got Len obsessed. Len doesn't get obsessed, it's Mick who does. Mick's gonna burn whoever did this to his Lenny to a fucking crispy charcoal. Slowly. Since when did he start referring to Len as his though? The stray thought crosses his mind but he's too angry to quite register the implications of it.

Turns out Snart's obsession is none other than the infamous Flash Mick keeps hearing rumors about. Red streak of blurred movement, yellow lightning, clever little piece of shit. Oh yeah, the speedster's gonna burn, Mick'll make sure of that. But he doesn't and Mick ends up on his ass, dazed by the explosion resulting of his and Len's gun's flux meeting. Shit, is Len alright? Mick's body is not aswering him but he needs to check on Len.

The cops putting them both in the police van help greatly with that. Len looks fine. Slightly annoyed, tired and a bit dazed but fine otherwise. Mick would really appreciate it if Snart could just drop the unhealthy fascination he seems to have for the vigilante who just kicked their asses. Like really. They're gonna go in prison for that obsession and Mick is absolutely not okay with that. But Len being Len, he has a back-up plan. Of course he does. He always does.

Man, did Mick miss Lisa.

 

* * *

   
They don't exactly take some time off but Len needs some time to plan their next move. So they lay low for a while.

Their guns got confiscated and Lenny seems to think that they won't get them back with a 'simple' trip to the CCPD. Len's time is so full of planning and going out to gather more intel that he's barely around, leaving Mick and Lisa to fend for themselves. Which is always fun 'cause Lisa is like a live wire. As long as you know how to handle her, you're usually out of the trouble zone. But sometimes, even if you think you've got a handle on her, you're gonna get burned. She's wild like that. Probably had something with Len raising her almost all by himself.

Len's out and Mick's getting bored when Lisa suddenly comes and sits right next to him. "So, what's going on with you?" Lisa knows that to get answers out of Mick it's better to be as blunt and as straight forward as possible. Mick grunts then shrugs.

"Dunno what you're talking about, Liz."

"Uhu. You think I haven't noticed the way you look at Lenny? It's been a while since I last saw you but I don't remember ever seeing you look at him like-", she pauses and frowns. "like you want to eat him whole." She looks a bit disturbed by the idea. Mick sighs.

"Am I that obvious?" It's Lizzy's turn to shrug.

"Lenny hasn't noticed yet."

Finally some good news. Or bad. Mick has no idea as to whether he'd prefer Len to know or not. Liz is staring at him, clearly waiting for an explanation. Ah, hell.

" 'am in love with him." Mick mumbles. "I think.", he adds after a second.

The eye roll it gets him is completely unexpected. Liz taps her foot on the ground in exasperation a few times and then claps her hands slowly.

"Took you long enough to realize." Mick has to admit, he definitely wasn't expecting that kind of reaction. The Snart siblings are extremely protective of each other and outsiders get shot down if they get too close. Mick was pretty sure he was gonna get literally shot the day Lisa Snart discovered he had feelings for her brother. Hence one of the reasons why he had kept those to himself for so long. He glares at Liz and grumbles.

"Maybe you'd like to give me a hand? 'cause I got no idea what 'm supposed to do about that." Lizzy winces and steps back a bit.

"Listen Micky, I want to help. I really do. It's just..." She sighs, looking and sounding pretty frazzled. "The last time I tried to help Lenny with his love life, he got so angry. You know how he's never angry with me right? Well that's the one and only time he ever was. It was very, very scary to see Lenny in that state. I'd rather not be the target of such an ... outburst again. Ever." She shivers and her tone has a taste of finality when she adds: "He made me promise to never ever meddle with his love life again. I'm sorry Mick but you're on your own." She kisses him on the cheek and pats him on the shoulder before leaving the room with a "Good luck Mick."

Luck? Yeah he's gonna need it.

 


	3. In which assholes with long-coats should be shot on sight but let's make an exception this time.

 

Mick realizes he's gonna need a plan. About the whole Leonard Snart situation.

As usual his brain's timing for existential discoveries is shit, 'cause being in the middle of breaking the Flash partner's will is definitely not a good moment. They abducted the kid's brother and are using him to pressure Frisco. Brisco. Whatever his name is. Who came here out of his own volition, all thanks to Liz. They 're in the middle of taking over the mafia, making Leonard Snart Central City's new Godfather. The other families were probably going to retaliate soon but in the meantime, it's gonna give them some power over CC's criminals. And a nice house.

Mick had missed the heat gun but he's a bit sad that it's not the one that Len gave him. At least he's got his gun back. Len even get Visco to make a gun for Lisa, after some pouting from her. Lizzy always gets what she wants, Len makes sure of that. And maybe it makes her a spoiled brat but considering what the Snarts went through during their childhood, it's only fitting. And right now, what Lizzy wants is to get out and have some fun with her brother.

Mick stays behind to keep an eye on the ducklings they seized. He'll have some quiet time to think then. Mick's bad temper and hyperactivity need to be channeled, Mick is self-conscious enough to know that, so he gets and himself some nice drinks and sets them on fire. Ah. There. Peace. What is he going to do about Lenny? More accurately what can he do about Lenny? Because he has to take in account the grating fact that Lisa noticed about Mick's pining within minutes. And he doesn't usually see her more than once or twice a year. She noticed easily when Len can't seem to even have a hint about it. And he and Lenny spend a lot of time together. He snuffs one of the flames, drinks the shot. Things ain't gonna be easy. But then again, they never are with Len.

In the middle of Mick's thinking, one of the pups breaks his leash and comes at him with one of the table's broken feet. Mick sends him flying and slaps the other one down when he too swings at Mick. He doesn't hurt him too much, after all he did make their guns, Mick's kinda grateful like that, but still takes out his frustration at being interrupted so rudely in the middle of his careful thinking on the kid. Hits and hits until the sound of Len's gun stops him.

Liz puts her hand on his arm and propels him toward the outside door. "Mick. You sound like you're hungry. Let's grab some dinner." Yeah, Mick's hungry. He hadn't noticed, due to the trance he had put himself under. Mick does get angry and more impulsive the hungrier he is. He grunts an agreement to Lisa. She chuckles. Well, she sure does seem happy. Mick raises an eyebrow and looks her in the eye. She notices it after a handful of seconds and rolls her eyes after getting in the bike's side car. Mick had added the side car a long time ago, just for times when Lizzy was hanging out with them. She gets her helmet on after an insistent look from Mick. 'cause Len's gonna kill him if anything happens to his baby sister. And that's exactly how Mick does not wants to die, thank you. Liz pouts a bit but Mick is completely immune to her pouting by now. "So how was it? Had fun?" Lizzy is radiant is glee and excitement that she's sort of trying to hide. She's mostly failing.

"It was great.", she smiles trying to stay cool.

Mick grins. "Good to hear kid."

"Hey don't 'kid' me, big guy.", she complains while punching lightly him in the shoulder. But she's grinning too. Mick is still laughing heartily as they free the poor delivery guy of his load of pizzas and head back. It's good.

Mick can't think of a time he'd been happier. Feels great.

 

* * *

 

Lisa is staying with them now. It's the longest the three of them have ever spent together. They rob people as usual but Len has put up a new rule. "Don't kill anyone innocent." Said rule does not include other criminals. So when Mick has a bad day, they go and get rid of some underling from one of the big crime families. They travel a lot during that period but they always come back to Central City. It's their home after all.

Lisa wants to visit Paris and Len itches to stroll, maybe even legally buy some nice art, in Montmartre. They're gonna need money for that. So Len decides to knock over Central City's Racetrack. Following Lenny's plan, Mick makes off with the cashier's cash and waits for his partners to come back. They don't. Mick's not worried though. It happened before. Maybe Liz got distracted. Maybe the Flash showed up. Maybe Len got hungry or something.

He only hears about the ordeal with Lewis Snart once it's over. Liz is pretty shaken about it all when she tells him about what happened. Mick notices that she keeps rubbing at a spot on the side of her neck. Where her own father put a bomb to get his son to dance to the tune he was singing. Sick son of a bitch.

"Where's Lewis?", Mick growls and Liz does a double take at his face. She looks to the side, her wild temper still subdued by the recent events.

"He's dead.", she says after a handful of second. She must see something on Mick's face because she adds with the ghost of a smirk "Lenny killed him."

If anyone but Len or Lizzy had taken a shot at Lewis Snart, Mick would have broken their arms and legs, and then left them for the Snarts to toy with as they'd pleased. But it's Lenny finally getting rid of his old man, freeing Lizzy from her personal boogeyman, freeing himself from the clutches of that controlling piece of twisted shit.

Lisa also tells him that Len is in prison. They won't do anything to break Lenny out of prison, he's a grown man and can, and probably will, break out on his own. Lizzy does give Mick a time limit though. If Len hasn't gotten out of prison by himself within 6 months, they'll break him out. Prison break. Mick likes those.

In the meantime, Liz and Mick bond. Mick learns that Lizzy has a thing for the guy he beat up some time ago. Chico? Cisco, Liz provides knowing that Mick is terrible with names. He makes fun of her and she threatens to punch him in the nuts. They talk about Mick's feelings for Len and though Liz still won't give him any pointers, it feels good to get some of it off his chest. They get drunk and they go on road-trips more than once. End up in Vegas with no memory of the day before. Go to Vancouver when winter draws near 'cause they both miss the cold. They have fun but there's a Leonard Snart's shaped hole in both their side.

Len shows up around Christmas. He seems to be okay but Mick needs to check. "You okay buddy?" The "Peachy" it gets him is one of those word they have that mean something entirely differently than the word's original meaning. In this case, it's a _'I don't wanna talk about it, drop it.'_ So Mick nods and adds in a casual tone " 'am gonna get pizza. Want some?" And if there's a flash of relief in Len's eyes, Mick won't say anything about it. They end up not exactly celebrating Lewis Snart death but it's close enough for Mick to relax. At least now things should be easier for the siblings.

They're all together again. And that's what's most important.

 

* * *

 

They do end up going to Paris.

Neither of them, no, not even Mick, trust Mick to not be a problem on a plane. Almost 8 hours of boredom? Mick will kill someone long before their landing. Or burn something. Maybe both. So instead they hop onto a cruise boat. Mick only threatens some of the passengers, Len starts picking locks once he grows bored of pick-pocketing the rich people on board and Lisa is having the time of her life, flirting her way through the rich, playing at turning them against each other in some sort of Battle Royale for her attention and time. And if one of the 'pretender' tries to come after her, let's just say they're lucky if on that day it's Mick that's hanging with Lizzy.

There's a pool on the boat. Mick grumbles at how stupid the concept of the damn thing is, Len won't get in it even if his life was threatened but Liz definitely loves it. She mostly goes swimming in the middle of the night, which herds around many perverts. A great number of noses, arms and nuts are broken during the trip.

When they finally arrive in France, Len steals bikes, 'cause Mick hates sitting doing nothing and there's 3h hours of road, then they're on their way to the capital city.

Paris is an interesting place to visit. Len spends at least three whole days between art museums and Montmartre, eyes gleaming. It takes an entire evening for Liz to talk him out of making plans to break into the Louvres and steal some of his favorite paintings. Mick spends most of his time searching for the dirtiest and filthiest bars he can find and starting brawls just for fun. He's always out before the cops arrive. Liz manages to get invited inside the Elysée Palace without really trying and steals some artsy stuff for Lenny. She mingles with the glitz and the glam and works on her pick-pocket skills.

They visit some of main touristic spots, break some arms and generally have a great time. They head back home with two very satisfied Snarts, almost purring in their respective contentment and a deeply relaxed Mick who only sports a few bruises.

Jobs come and go, nothing really unusual happens. Lisa decides to go on a big trip by herself and they part ways. She wiggles her eyebrows knowingly at Mick, who barks a laugh at the face she makes doing that, then Liz kisses them both on the cheek before getting inside the sleek golden sport car she got a rich asshole to offer her.

Things settle down and though Mick still hasn't done anything about Len, he isn't sure he is willing to risk what he has for the ghost of a chance of an hypothetical more. Instead Mick goes for casual with Len and his partner relaxes more and more by his side, apparently enjoying the nonchalance. They settle in a warehouse and most of their stuff ends up mixed together. They go buy a couch but when the vendor makes an insulting comment at Mick, Len decides to rob the place of both its money and the aforementioned couch instead. Mick sets some the fanciest couches on fire with his gun from outside the shop. All in all, things are good.

Until a few weeks later, when some asshole in a long-coat zaps them onto a rooftop. His name is Rip Hunter and he wants, needs their help to save the world. Whatever. Mick ain't nobody's hero. But back to their home, Len talks him into going. It's not so much Len's speech that convince Mick rather than the excited spark that he can see gleam in his partner's eyes. If Len really wants to go, Mick sure as hell won't stop him. It doesn't really matter if Mick's not a hundred percent in.

If it can get Len that excited, Mick will make sure it happens.

 


	4. In which friends are friends and just friends and we're not friends, don't even Ray.

 

Len gets the hang of why the Englishman wanted them along almost instantly. Typical Len.

Killed, maimed or robbed heh? Yeah, it made sense, since the others looked like a bunch of innocent lambs on the way to the slaughter. They get pretty bored pretty fast, benched as they are on the ship. Mick tries to watch TV but there's only reruns on. They're on a time-ship, why is he stuck with programs from the 70's?

The blonde chick offers that they go and 'get weird in the 70's'. Mick knows that Len hates bars, unless they're empty and he's going on his own. So when Snart agrees, Mick is a bit surprised but 's not like he always gets what's going on inside Lenny's head right? Leonard Snart does not dance. Never has and probably never will. It's just another of those things Len dislikes.

Mick notices the appreciative way Len looks at Ginger and can't help the pang of jealousy in his gut. Which is a new, irrational and extremely distasteful feeling. It's not like Len belongs to him. But just as fast, he realizes that as appreciative as the look might have been, it's also completely disinterested, professional even. Len's simply gauging Ginger's value. The fight that starts shortly after only works to prove Mick right. The smirk Len shares with him afterwards says he likes her talents, maybe even Ginger herself. She seems to be able to handle herself in a fight. And on top of everything, their new blonde friend likes girls. Wonderful. Mick likes her.

 

* * *

 

"Can I burn some stuff now?" The dirty look on Len's face and the "I wish you would" set Mick's blood ablaze. Torching piles of explosives and waves of armed idiots work wonder on feeding the hunger singing under his skin.

It's enough. For now.

 

* * *

 

If there's something that's always true with Leonard Snart, it's that he's always putting Lisa before anything and anyone else.

So of course, Len stole the Maximilian Emerald to try and prevent Lewis from ever going to prison. If he can make sure that their father never go into prison, he may be able to protect her from the years of pain she'll have to go through. The fact that it doesn't work out leaves Len a bit... raw around the edges.

Mick knows better than to try and help his partner. It's not that Mick doesn't want to. He just knows Len better than the man itself. Len will work things out on his own and doesn't need nor want any support. All he needs is some space. His Lenny is strong.

Mick's mind comes at a halt at the thought. HIS Lenny? Since when did he start thinking of Len as his? The word sounds right in Mick's head though. He glances at Len from the corner of his eye. His partner still looks a bit shaken. Not that anyone else could tell. He does consider Len to be his.

Mick sighs. Ah, hell. And here he thought he was done with trying to court Len. Guess he needs to get back on track with planning a way to get a date out of one Leonard Snart. And he's probably gonna need some help.

After all, Mick has never tried courting anyone before.

 

* * *

 

He manages to get some time alone with Sara, under the guise of wanting to play poker. Len has taken some time for himself, as Mick had surmised he would, so the coast is clear. Sara glances at him, cards in hand, the bottle of rum he stole from the Englisman's study on the ground between them.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Mick wants to groans. How are all the women he ends up spending time with so goddamn perceptive?

"Is it about Snart?", she continues, an amused smile forming on her face as she apparently reads Mick like an open book.

"Yeah." is all that manages to come out. His mouth is suddenly very dry and he might just need a drink. Mick takes a long swig from the bottle. The amusement has left Ginger's face, concern not quite replacing it yet. "Is everything okay?" Mick has started tensing up.

This was a bad idea. He's about to get up and leave when Sara gets up with a sigh and locks the door from the inside. Mick can still leave but now no-one can come in unless one of them unlocks the door first. She sits back and picks her cards again, as if nothing happened then looks him right in the eye. "Whatever it is it'll stay between us 'kay?" And it does manage to relax Mick, even though he's not quite ready to talk yet. They sit in companionable silence, playing poker, drinking and grunting to each other every once in a while.

Finally Mick speaks. "I need your help." The word cost him and she seems to understand that because she doesn't interrupt, simply waits.

"Dating advice.", he grumbles lowly.

She blinks a few times, her face carefully void of any emotion. "Okay." She seems thoughtful for a moment then something soft etches itself on her features. "Snart?", she asks, not exactly a question. "Yeah."

Here it is. Mick just admitted his feelings for Snart to someone who wasn't a Snart. He feels both hot and cold at the same time and there's sweat on the back of his neck but he grits his teeth and keeps the _'fight or flight_ ' instinct in his chest in check. There's no flight with Mick anyway, he's all fight. In front of him, Sara looks perplexed then downright confused.

"What.", he asks.

"He's your partner and you've known him longer than anyone else?" Again not exactly a question. Mick's grunt sounds like an approbation. "Then I take it the advice you want has nothing to do with Snart, am I right?" she smiles, part tentatively, part crookedly. He doesn't answer, his mouth gone dry again but Sara doesn't need him too. She waits again, calm and silent and not pressuring Mick in any way.

"I've never dated.", he finally blurts out. "Anyone. Ever.", his mouth clamps shut on the last admission.

And Sara looks at him. Just looks at him with that expression on her face. It's not pity, and that's good 'cause Mick would have probably attacked her, consequences be damned, had she tried to pity him. No, she looks him at him like he is this unique and precious thing that is miraculous but nobody's ever seen before and she can't quite fathom his existence. She's still looking at him, like he's gonna disappear if she looks away, when she says, her voice a bit rough. "Can't help with the sex part-" And Mick needs to stop her right the fuck now.

"I've fucked people before." He's clearly out of his depth here. "It's the whole-"

"Dating? Courting? Charming? Wooing?", she provides, trying to help.

"Yeah. All of it."

This time she's the one who takes a long swig from the bottle. When she comes back for air, she nods tightly. "Okay." There's a pause. "Okay." She sounds like she's trying to convince herself. She then hands him the bottle, making a sign that he should drink too. "Let's plan."

They're clearly gonna need more than one bottle.

 

* * *

 

It's the first time Mick has ever seen Len flirt.

Okay, he doesn't actually see it happen. But Haircut's description is rather... spot on considering everything else Mick knows about Lenny. Mick can picture it as if he'd been there to witness it. And it's so confusing.

If that's what Lenny considers as flirting then what has he been doing with Mick all these years? Has he been flirting with Mick ever since they've known each other and Mick simply never recognized it for what it was? Anyway, Mick's hand finds his lighter and he plays with it absentmindedly, jealousy coursing through his veins. It's not fair that that Russian chick got to have Lenny's attention, even if it's just for a job. She even kissed him for chrissakes.

Mick hopes he'll get a chance to spend some quality time with her, that she'll do something stupid and become a liability, or better, an enemy. Yeah, an enemy sounds good.

 

* * *

 

The gulag is only slightly worse than what Mick is used to when it comes to prisons. Mick knows prisons and he knows Snart will break him out, so all he needs to do is lay low and stay alive. They didn't search him before putting them in there so Mick still has his lighter. Good. It'll help time pass quicker.

But Haircut, Ray, is an idiot. Ray is a fucking Boy-Scout with no knowledge of how the real world works. He gets beaten up for no reason. Then he takes a beating for Mick. Mick is puzzled. Why is the Boy-Scout doing all that? What is he trying to prove?

Mick didn't expect to see Len barely 30 feet away when they get out of the torture chamber. Len came. Of course Len came, he admonishes himself. Len always comes back for Mick. The fist in his gut stops him from grinning. He'll just have to wait a little longer now. Turns out the waiting only lasts a few minutes.

"You call that a flame?"

"Nice costume.", he smirks.

Len's ready to leave but Mick can't leave stupid Boy-Scout Ray behind. For once, the team isn't only Snart and him. Ray did take a serious beating for Mick and the arsonist owes that idiot at least that much. Snart doesn't seem too happy about Mick's decision. He doesn't comment on it but Mick can see something dark and dangerous swim in Lenny's eyes.

Eliciting emotional reactions out of Len is like playing Russian Roulette, which is quite ironic considering where they currently are. It's impossible to know what an emotional Snart is capable of or willing to do. The range of possibilities is just way too wide. So Mick has a reaction akin to that of a deer trapped in headlights. He goes blank, stills and hopes to dodge the bullet. It works somehow.

Later on, Len is back to normal and neither of them talks about what happened but Mick's mind is racing. What the hell was that? He can't think of anything he might have done to hurt Snart in any way and Len had seemed normal upon his arrival in the cell-block. Something must have happened between here and there.

But fuck if Mick has any idea of what that something is.

 

* * *

 

There's no word for how betrayed and void Mick feels, a sickening mix of hollowness and a deep unsettling gut-twisting something in his chest that makes him cold inside. He thought of all people, Len would like it here. Turns out Len doesn't. Turns out Len has changed. Again.

Somebody went behind Mick's back and changed his Lenny again, filling his head with dreams of heroism, of, hah! saving the world, of becoming a legend. Mick will burn them all for that. He might still be able to get his Snart back if he acts quick. But they will pay for what they did to Lenny.

Nobody touches Leonard Snart without paying the price.

 

* * *

 

The pirates are the opportunity Mick was waiting for. By that point, he's sick of Rip and his constant insults, sick of the ship, sick of the mission, sick of the way Len is twisting in front of his eyes. Now all he needs is for Len to understand that they're done here and they need to head back home. There's a warehouse with a couch in it that's waiting for them and the Star Wars marathon they had planned on losing their weekend to that's still to be watched.

They're a team. Len will understand.

 

* * *

 

It's not Len's choice to abandon Mick here.

He can see it on Len's face. He might be carrying out the sentence, but somebody, probably Rip, is forcing Lenny's hand. Forcing him to abandon his oldest and best friend in the middle of nowhere. Rip probably even told Len that he had to put Mick down like a rabid animal. But Len would never do that. Len is cunning and twisted but he's loyal to those he considers his crew, his family. Loyal to the core.

So when Len knocks him unconscious and leaves instead of killing him, Mick has to admit that he probably shouldn't have pushed Lenny the way he had. Len hates being cornered. But Rip's word had ignited a fire in his mind and Mick couldn't think straight. He just needed out and away from the toxicity that the time traveler exuded. Away from the lies and the condescending tones.

Mick's unstable and he knows it, but that doesn't mean he's stupid. Still. The thing with the pirates probably hadn't been his brightest idea.

It doesn't matter. Len will come back for him, won't he. Len always comes back. But then he doesn't.

And Mick goes half crazy, eating rats and freezing his ass off. He tips down into the madness he'd always tiptoed with. The worst part, he thinks, is that he had faith in Snart. He trusted him. But what if it wasn't Lenny's fault, whispers a little voice in his head.

Mick is too tired too even tell it to shut the fuck up. He's gonna die here, isn't he? He's simply too weak to keep fighting.

And that's when the Time Masters find him.

 


	5. In which even countless lifetimes might not be enough to forget one Leonard Snart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As per Kksyryllyan's request: this chapter goes as far as the end of Left Behind (S01E09)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was attacked and kidnapped by a bunny while writing this.

  
Being reborn over and over again hurts.

It's like a million bees in his mind and thousands of white hot blades tearing him to pieces. Like butterfly wings on his skin and lava flowing through his veins. A bone deep chill when he wakes up one more time and a sickening fall into nothingness as he dies again. He distantly hears someone's screams and then realizes that he is the one screaming. His voice sounds different, hoarser, rougher, probably 'cause of all the shouting and roaring that keeps on being wrung out of him.

It lasts for so long he loses track of time. Or maybe it just feels like a long time has passed because of all the pain and the dying he keeps going through. It's kinda hard to tell, he's quite distracted. They pick him apart and put him back together in a way that suits their needs. Loyal. Cold. Deadly. Everything that isn't needed is discarded. They take his scars. Who cares? They were just scars. Fire becomes a mean to an end and loses any other meaning. His life with Snart feels like a long lost dream, memories losing meaning and context. Some of his feelings are congealed until he feels nothing and the rest is turned over or twisted. His anger becomes hatred. His jealousy turns violence. They model him to be a hunter, their hunter. A killing machine, more than willing to hurt back those who hurt him first. When they judge him ready, he trains. Knives. Blades. Knowledge of the time-stream. Advanced mechanics. Guns. Rifles. Advanced temporal physics. His mind becomes as sharp as his hands.

He is ready.

He is Chronos.

And he has a mission.

 

* * *

 

He had been warned that time flowed differently in here but the first time he stumbles upon Rip Hunter around the corner of a hallway, he almost knifes him right there and then. That Rip is younger, all innocent looks,, subtle excitement and shyness. Chronos lets him go, the other never knowing how close to death he had just been. That Rip is none of his business. He will be some day, but for now he is safe. For now, taking care of temporal anomalies is Chronos job. For now, he'll behave.

 

* * *

 

Time passes, uncertain, nonlinear and ever changing. Keeping track of how long does pass is an impossibility. Could have been a thousand years, could have been a week. Chronos meets a dozen different Rip. Young, younger, almost as old as the one he hates, barely more than a teenager. Never an older version though. But if there's anything Chronos has learned during his time in the Vanishing Point, it's patience.

Time will come for Hunter to pay. Until that time comes, he'll be patient.

 

* * *

 

On his downtime, he studies them. Everything that is known about each and every one of them. The Archives contain all the available knowledge about the crew of the Waverider. Weaknesses. Strengths. Weapons of choice. Some parts Chronos skips, some he delves into. Family members, known lovers, past love interests.

He catches himself spending more time looking into Snart than any of the others. The man only has one true weak point, his sister. No lover, no love interest, no real family left that he cares about other than Lisa Snart. Something flares and dies just as fast in Chronos. Why is he even studying that file so much for? He already knows everything there is to know about the man.

 

* * *

 

 

The order is given. The hunt begins.

He's going to rip them all apart. (heh.) Except Snart. For some reason, Chronos can't-won't kill Leonard "Cold" Snart. It doesn't matter that Snart abandoned him and left him to rot in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't matter that it's his mission. Chronos insides hurt when he thinks of Leonard Snart lying lifeless, and even worse if he pictures himself as the one to take the thief's life. It's like somebody trying to collapse his lungs from the inside and he can't breathe. He can make him suffer and wish the hunter had killed him though. Killing Lisa Snart over and over again in front of her brother should be satisfying enough.

Chronos heart weights distractingly in his chest. He should probably get that checked in the infirmary. But the feeling doesn't last long enough for him to bother.

 

* * *

 

He remembers each and every stop they had made as they went on their merry way to disturb the timeline. Finding the Waverider is ridiculously easy with that knowledge.

What Chronos had forgotten was Leonard Snart. Well not Snart himself but everything else. Snart and his way of moving. Snart and the cant of his hips and the tilt of his head. Snart running away from him, trying to protect his crew, his team. Snart not recognizing him and looking at him with that annoyed, angry look that Chronos had never seen directed at him. Until now. It hurts more than it should. It aches inside Chronos chest. He feels both empty and far too full, like he's gonna spill on the sides and he doesn't know why-he's never felt like-there're no words for-it rushes and bleeds inside. And then it stills. There's something Chronos has to do. He has a job that needs done. The hunter should just kill them all on the spot. For messing around with time. For stealing the Waverider. For going against the Council. For abandoning him in the middle of nowhere. For pushing Snart into doing things he would never have done otherwise.

Instead, he somehow ends up abducting Snart.

 

* * *

 

There's that suffocating feeling in Chronos chest again as he watches Snart's head loll with the ship soft rocking movement. It lasts an eternity and yet it's over far too soon. He can't be here when Snart wakes up. He just. Can't. He moves. Keeps himself busy with one thing or another. Snart is making him feel... restless. He needs to get a grip on himself. Why is he so fascinated with that thief? He's halfway back inside the bridge, before he even realizes it, couldn't stop, moving on auto-pilot as soon as he'd heard the tell-tale sound of his prisoner waking up. He grits his teeth, unhappy with this lack of control he seems to have whenever Snart is involved.

Harsh word stream out him and he aims to hurt. But Chronos has no way of hurting Snart. Can't get under that armor of indifference and coldness that the man surrounds himself with. Mick does though. So he goes back to being Mick, if not on the inside, at least enough to tear Snart's heart to pieces. And the man cracks open like a gift box, raw and wounded deep, emotions pouring on his face in a very un-Snart-like way. Refusal, anger, self-hatred, despair, love. Love. Fuck. Leonard loves him.

"I was always, always coming back for you!"

"Seems like one of us lost track of time." Harsher words, to cover his own burst of emotions. Chronos can't look at that face, that love, broken and torn apart by his hands. He can't. Not now. He needs to kill the others first. Then maybe he can try and deal with...this. He leaves.

 

* * *

 

Chronos would have easily won if not for the way his chest is seizing inside, constricting his torso and making his breath short and labored. But he is hurting inside and so gets hurt outside. And maybe it's a way of punishing himself for what he's done but he just. Doesn't know. It just hurts so goddamn much. And then Snart shows up, saves him. Despite everything, despite the hurt that's still visible on his face and in the way he's hunched, Leonard Snart saves his life. And Chronos is still, unable to move, barely breathing. Snart froze one of his own hands to come and save him. Snart's gun hand. Snart's perfect almost feminine hands. Something factures in his heart, too jagged and fuck he can't breathe. There's ice and fire in his veins and he can't deal-he needs-the mission-Len-the medbay could restore-if he's fast enough maybe- Somebody knocks him out.

The darkness, for once, is welcome.

 


	6. In which a fistfight might not be the best way to get your best friend to confess his feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spans until the end of The Magnificent Eight (S01E11)

 

Waking up in the cell was expected.

Everybody coming to him and trying to get through to him was also expected. People always deal with what's in front of them after all. Mick being dead or gone but none of them seeing any of it, not a big issue. But Mick being locked on the ship and the members of the crew experiencing first hand the extent of his hate, well that's a whole other matter. Mick's guess is, none of them did anything more than vaguely protest when Snart marooned him. Worse, maybe they were all in on it. Well, except Kendra and Ray. Boy-scouts as those two are, they would have never agreed with a plan like that.

What was not expected, is the way they're all trying to shoulder part of the blame, so that none of it rests on Snart. Snart who has yet to show up, now that Mick thinks about it. Mick doesn't want to have to talk to Snart. But he's locked in this cage, can't go anywhere. Nowhere to go, nothing to do except think. Mick doesn't want to think. He'd rather punch something, someone, rather than dwell on what happened with Snart earlier. Thankfully enough, everytime he gets too restless, someone comes to talk to him and the whole cycle starts over. Confession. Offer. Demand that he forgives Snart. And he brushes them all off with short sarcastic and hurtful comments. He has to let his frustration out somehow.

Then Rip shows up. Asks, hah! for Mick's help. Hell would freeze over long before Mick even considers it. Then, the cycle is the same. Confession. Demand that he forgives Snart. Rip's taking full responsibility for what happened to Mick. Mick would make him suffer if he tried to blame it on someone else again. Not that he won't kill Rip anyway, but now he might just do it a little bit quicker than what he had originally planned.

Then nobody shows up for quite some time. For way longer than Mick is comfortable with. And Mick gets that thinking he doesn't want. Trying not to think about it only makes it worse. Trying to think of something else only works for so long. It's his fault, isn't it? And yet, he can't quite admit it. All he wanted was out. To leave this little doomed cruise Rip has had them all sail on. And for Snart to come with him. Was it really that much to ask for? And all his efforts were in vain. Now all Mick has is a Leonard Snart that won't even check on him, won't talk to him, won't even show his face. A Len that's no longer his. He's somewhere between banging his head on the wall 'til he passes out and screaming 'til he's too exhausted to do anything but lie and sleep, when he hears somebody coming his way. Relief flashes through him, those stray too emotionally charged thoughts leaving his mind. He can focus and remain calm if there's something to focus on. It's Sara.

Sara hasn't come to end his life nor perpetuate the cycle the others had artfully mastered. She wants to talk. About Snart. Shit. Mick knows his words won't have as much impact on her because she knows. Sara knows how Mick really feels about Len. Maybe he can make her think that those feelings died during his time as Chronos but he'll never be able to convince her that he wants revenge in the form of Snart's life. Sara is the same as always. She doesn't ask, doesn't beg, doesn't complain, doesn't rush him either. She just sits there and states facts. Listens to Mick as he half-heartedly tries to get under her skin. Tells him that Len spoke of him as he was about to die. That one of Snart's last thoughts had been Mick's wellbeing. Mick's happiness. Fuck. It's too much. It's not enough. Apparently, Mick's little escapade as Chronos must have changed at least some of his body language because Sara doesn't seem to be able to sense the turmoil in Mick heart. She leaves without adding more.

Good to know that he's not as easy to read as he used to be. But still. She was right. Snart is loyal, always was when it came to Mick. And Mick. Well Mick had been too angry, too blindsided to remember that. It’s true that he’s been pissed by Rip’s meddling but that doesn’t excuse the way he’d snapped at Snart, pushing him to the edge until there was no other choice left than to abandon him. To let him cool down. Of course Len would have come back for him. He always had. Until he hadn’t.

Mick punches the wall, hard. He needs to see Len, he, fuck- he needs to know for sure. And he won’t know until he can look Len right in the eye. Until Len’s armor is cracked once more and his heart bared for Mick to see. Mick resumes his pacing but this time it’s not in impatience and restlessness.

This time he has a goal. This time, he can wait.

 

* * *

 

After what seems like an eternity, Snart finally shows up. And he’s cold, closed off again. He doesn’t want to talk either.

So for the first time since he’s been imprisoned here, Mick makes an offer: ”All the talk in the world is not gonna change a thing.” And there’s appreciation, even though it’s muted, that comes from Len. A slight tilt of the head that’s as much in a way of agreement as Mick’s gonna get.

“Exactly”, Len drawls. “Here's my proposal. I open this cell, we let our fists do the talking.” It’s highly unusual for Snart to make that kind of proposition so Mick listens. If Mick can kill Snart, he’s a free man. If Len kills him, well, Mick won’t have to worry about anything else, right? Something tenses in Mick. He can do this. Breaking Snart’s defenses with his words won’t be possible twice, but Mick might be able to get through with his fists. It’s not like he has any intention to actually kill Snart. But Mick has a temper and tends to lose himself when fighting. So he hits. And hits. And hits again. Until the sound of blood rushing in his ears is a deafening roar that eclipses everything else. He goes in for the kill and only stops when he's met with Snart's broken face and soft eyes. There's nothing but acceptance on his face. Len is ready to let Mick kill him, should it be Mick's decision. Len trusts him with his life. Trusts him to judge whether Len deserves to live or die. Fuck.

He stumbles back, lowers his fist and tumbles to the side. Mick almost- He had almost- Something is shifting on Len's face. The ice is coming back, covering the trust and the softness under countless layers. "We had a deal, Mick. Kill me and you walk. It's what you wanted, isn't it, to get off the team?", Len complains weakly, his voice barely a murmur towards the end. Mick settles for an answer that's as close to the truth as he trusts himself to tell.

"I don't know what I want anymore."

 

* * *

 

If Rip thinks hiding in a Fragmentation will be enough to shake the Hunters off their tail, he's in for a surprise.

Of course they're gonna check the Fragmentations first, and they know Rip. (The Archives do contain a lot of information) Of course the Englishman is going to hide in a time period he feels safe within, a time he's lived months, years in. Mick won't say anything but he's not letting Snart out of his sight. Len who keeps his distance. Len who didn't get his wounds treated in the medbay. Len who won't even look at him. Len who wears a stupidly low cowboy hat and a ridiculously sexy black long coat, both things that happen to do things to Mick. Well, it's been a while since he's been around Snart that much, kinda makes sense.

Of fucking course, they end up in the bar. Mick doesn't even remember the last time he's had a drink. Probably before his 'enrolling' as Chronos, ‘cause he can’t remember any moment he’d been allowed to treat himself. In any way. The alcohol is shitty as fuck and yet Mick needs another drink. He wants to forget even if it’s just for a few hours. Kendra’s complaining about the taste. Boy-scouts. Then Sara joins him. They talk a bit, Mick can tell that she’s trying to read him. Trying to get intel, like the good little assassin she is. Good luck with that.

“You're different now.”, she states in her flat not-quite-a-question way. Wow, such a bold remark.

“Better or worse?”, Mick asks, amused by the low-level teasing she’s prodding him with.

She narrows her eyes, looking him up and down in a very judgmental way. “Don’t know yet.”, she answers, but there’s the shadow of a smirk at the edge of her lips.

She downs her liquor like someone used to drink and used to need a lot of drinks to feel the buzz. Well, this could be fun. They drink a few round each, the companionship they used to have showing here and there, in a gesture or a word. Mick’s starting to feel warm inside, the jagged edges of his own broken heart softening and becoming numb in places. It still hurts, but Mick doesn’t feel quite as much. Apparently his time as Chronos has made him much more receptive to the effect of alcohol ‘cause he’s feelin’ kinda funny right now.

And of course it’s the moment Sara picks to start asking questions. Damn assassin. Can’t trust anyone these days. “About those plans we made.” And Mick is torn between wanting to punch her and wanting to kiss her, either of which is- ugh. She looks at him from the corner of her eye. Fuck, she’s way too coherent for someone who’s been drinking as much as they have. Has Mick’s tolerance really been that tempered with? He used to be able to hold his liquor better than almost everyone he knew, better than that.

“Don’t deserve to. Not anymore.”, Mick slurrs, words not coming out of his mouth the way he’d like them to. “What do you mean?” She’s frowning. “Broke ‘is heart.” He downs two shots in a row, comes back just to see her surprised expression and the understanding that sort of dawns on her face. “When you...” Her voice trails off. Kidnapped Snart and hurt him as badly as I could without actually raising a hand against him?, Mick doesn’t say. “Yeah”, he mumbles instead. He’s bitter. He grabs Sara’s round of drinks and downs those too, on top of his own.

The bartender seems vaguely impressed. Sara seems thoughtful. Mick should probably stop drinking now. Finally, Ginger turns his way.

“Don’t be stupid Mick. Of course, Leonard doesn’t hate you.” He frowns, trying to take a clear look at Ginger but she’s too blurry. “He came to see you in the cell, didn’t he.” It’s one of those not-a-question she’s so good at not-asking. And Mick has a moment of clarity. Fuck, he’s so damn stupid. Len came to see him. Sara chuckles “We’ll talk again once you’re...in shape again.” Mick nods, still shell shocked. Yeah, he might need a minute. He puts his head on the counter.

He’s gonna close his eyes a minute. Just a minute.

 

* * *

 

The threat of the Pilgrim is pushing Mick to do things he would have kept on delaying otherwise. He brings Sara up to speed as to what he discovered concerning Snart. She snorts and tells that it was kind of obvious. (Was it?) Mick is not so sure but maybe Len’s more guarded around him than around others, who knows. So, Mick picks up the plans he started making lifetimes ago and, with Sara and Gideon's help, (how Sara managed that, he’ll never know) starts Operation Ice out. Trying to seduce Len proves to be the most challenging thing Mick has ever attempted to do.

Good thing Mick is the most stubborn bastard there ever was.

 


	7. In which bets are made and Leonard's obliviousness reaches legendary heights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes as far as the end of Leviathan (S01E13)

 

“Like I said, convenient.” 

Well, would you look at that. Apparently Mick's not the only one who's grown tired of Rip Hunter's lies and secrets. Len seems distrustful. Okay, more so than usual. The Englishman is starting to get on Snart's nerves and things generally don't end well for people who get on Len's bad side. It's gonna be fun. Mick can't help but grin. He's also happy because Len is going back to being the Len Mick knows and loves and has started shaking off whatever it was that had pushed him into trying to be a goddamn hero.

It's good to see his best friend once again.

 

* * *

 

Len is the most frustratingly oblivious person Mick has ever known. It’s like he goes temporarily blind and deaf every time he is faced with any of Mick’s attempt at charming him. And when, every once in a while, he does recognize the move as a seducing one, he just brushes it off as Mick being unstable, impulsive and a bit fucked in the head. Or as Mick expressing his affection in awkward ways. Which are all things that are actually true. But still. And yes okay, maybe starting to court Len while being the targets of the Omega Protocol and therefore the Pilgrim, is not the best of timings. But it might be the only time they have left. Any of them could die at any time. Erased from history, like they never even existed. And Mick is not ready to give up on Lenny yet. It might his only shot at ever getting Len to understand how Mick really feels about him. But damn his partner is dense. Mick and Sara keep on meeting and making new plans, since the first one clearly didn't work. Nothing works. Sara doesn't even bother with trying to be subtle in any way with her new ideas. And Len is still oblivious.

Gifts are useless, flowers won't work. Romantic music starting to play when he gets into a room only Mick's in has him stop, glare suspiciously at the ceiling and then shrug and keep on doing whatever he had come in the room for. Subtle, then not-so-subtle flirting from Mick, accompanied by pointed comments from Sara, only make Snart raise an eyebrow and carry on with what he was doing.

It reaches a point where everyone on the Waverider but Snart knows what's going on. Bets are made. Jax keeps snorting every time someone comments on the situation. Stein is looking like the most interesting experiment is happening in front of his eyes every time he is the witness to one of Mick's attempts. Ray wouldn't believe it at first but after witnessing one of Mick's most straightforward tries, (he had gotten on one knew and professed his love to Len in a very blunt way. Len had simply blinked twice at Mick, said "Of course, you do. We're partners." and had finished eating his sandwich as if nothing had just happened.) Ray had stood there gaping for a full minute at just how oblivious Len was. He had then left the room after gingerly patting Mick on the shoulder. Rip has apparently elected to ignore what's happening, only sending annoyed glares in Mick's direction every once in a while. Sara and Kendra decide to give Mick a hand, one by getting Snart into as many of Mick's 'traps' as possible and the other by refining some of Mick's ideas and coming up with new ways to get Len to 'see the light'.

But by then, Mick's pretty sure it's hopeless and that he might as well stop and get back to his silent one-sided pining. He does have one last resort move but he'd rather not use it. Because it consists in Mick cornering Len (something that Snart hates), grabbing him (another hated thing) and kissing him (he's gonna get kicked in the nuts and shot if he tries, that's for sure. And he'd like to keep those parts intact, thank you.) 

Basically, things aren't going anywhere. And Mick ain't sure they're ever going to go anywhere.

 

* * *

 

"It's suicidal." Rip's idea is the one of the worst he's had so far.

Abducting the remaining members of the team as newborns to ensure their safety? Meaning Mick will never have met Len. Meaning those lives they've lived will lose meaning and disappear after some time. And even though they will probably keep their memories intact, the people they care about will forget they'd ever meet, will never have known any of them. Mick is pretty sure Len won't appreciate losing his sister. Mick, for one, doesn't like the idea of losing Len.

  
"You mean, my own mom won't even know me?" Kid's intelligent, Mick's gotta admit. Both halves of Firestorm are starting to understand just how far the implications of Rip's plan reach. "My wife."

  
"Yeah, and my- Oh, yeah. I don't have anyone."

  
"Sure as hell beats dying."

Trust Len to see anything good in this shit. But Mick can tell Len is bitter, probably reached the same conclusions as Mick concerning themselves and Lisa. Mick really hopes they'll get rid of the Pilgrim before time hardens over those new timelines and leaves half of the team in loss and solitude, without any place to call a home and to return to.

 

* * *

 

Giving baby Leonard to that punk is probably both the best and worst idea Mick has ever had.

It feels like destiny. But Mick's afraid of his younger self. Of how deep his love for fire and flames and infernos used to be. Mick knows he no longer is the man he used to be. But being faced with the reality of who he was, how selfish and consumed that teen is, it's tearing something inside of him. Pulling at strings of guilt Mick thought were long gone from his heart and mind. The kid doesn't know but his words are like daggers of pain. Mick ain't like his father. He did his best not to become like that man. And yet, maybe he is. Maybe in his continuous attempt at becoming someone else, he became the carbon copy of someone he had hated most of his life.

Like father, like son. Or so they say.

 

* * *

 

Thanks to all of Mick's courting, Len has relaxed by his side once more.

It may not have worked the way it was supposed to, but it did give him his Lenny back. Mick will settle for that since he can't have anything else. If he can't have Lenny in his bed, he'll at least be by his side. And if he takes longer in the shower than he usually would, well, every guy needs to rub one out every now and then. Who he thinks of while doing so is his own damn business. Len and him fall back into old habits and every time they're not sleeping or cleaning, they're in each other's company. Len must have missed him, because he'll even laze around in Mick's room when Mick's under the shower. At some point, Sara starts appearing too and the two of them will chill and play poker on Mick's bed, while waiting for the arsonist to return to his room.

It's oddly...domestic and Mick is surprised to realize that he likes it.

 

* * *

 

Vandal Savage might be an immortal ruler/psychopath, hellbent on conquering the world but at least the man has some serious oratory skills. Mick is impressed. Savage is almost on par with Snart in his convincing. They don't actually manage to capture Savage but at least they gained some serious intel. And Mick is now sure that Len trusts him again, making references to long passed events and having Mick take split-second decisions. Rip complains a bit but faced with the finding of an actual artifact that could finally help them get rid of Savage, he shuts his trap pretty fast.

 

* * *

 

When Kendra asks Mick to come with her, of course he follows. The soft Bird Lady is asking him to burn something? Not gonna pass such an opportunity.

He's barely distracted by Len going to get information out of Savage's daughter. Oh, he noticed the looks she's been giving Len, the not so subtle eyeing of his Lenny, but Mick's not worried. If all it took to get Len's attention were half-hearted attempts at best, he'd have had him by now. Against a wall, a table or really, anywhere would have worked for Mick. Ah, fantasies.

Turns out Kendra doesn't just want him to burn stuff, she also wants to talk. "What are you gonna do about Leonard?" she asks as they prepare the crucible.

Mick shrugs. "Nothing."

Kendra turns his way, frowning. "What do you mean nothing? After all your efforts, are you sure you want to abandon like this?"

"I am. Already got more than I hoped for."

There's a moment of silence as Kendra gets the pincer and places the bracelet in its jaws.

"Are you sure you can do this?" she asks again, trying to look him in the eye, clearly bothered by Mick's decision. But Mick already has his goggles up on his eyes and motions for her to position the bracelet so that he can melt it. The fire is beautiful as always but as lost that all-consuming notion that used to eat Mick from within. The 'bauble' melts and Mick takes his goggles off. "You sure you can do this?" Mick asks, mimicking her question but changing the subject. She wants to talk about not-so-easy-to-make decisions, they can be two to play that game. Kendra's pinched expression is an answer in itself.

"I'm sure." she still answers.

Mick wants to laugh. He leaves the room instead.

 

* * *

 

Snart can fight when he wants to. He's actually a pretty good fighter, even if he usually favors guns over fists.

Mick is reminded of all that as they are attacked by Savage's goons. It's as Sara told him in that bar. "He came to see you, didn't he?" Yeah, Len had come and had offered that they settle their strife with their fists. But then, he had barely thrown any punch, not even trying. In a way, he had not just offered a way out to Mick. Len had offered himself. He had been saying _'You want me dead? Go on, I'm not gonna stop you.'_

Mick tackles a guy about to jump Len from behind. Nobody gets to hurt Lenny. Not even Mick. It was a hard learned lesson but he won't make the same mistake twice.

Losing Len once was more than enough. Mick will make sure never to lose his Lenny again. Whatever it takes.

 


	8. In which- well, even the best laid plans can go sideways sometimes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame psychoticmidds and River of Time (and its numerous flashbacks) for the delay
> 
> This chapter goes as far as the end of Destiny (S01E15)
> 
> I have made a few changes because I was heavily dissatisfied with Legendary, so expect changes toward the end, and big changes in the next chapter

 

Everyone is celebrating Savage's capture in their own way, alone or with other members of the team.

Sara had grabbed Len and Mick and directed them to her room, where she'd stashed a few bottles in anticipation of the day where they'd have something to celebrate. Or mourn, she confesses after a few rounds of her game. Sara calls it "Truth or Drink". Somebody asks a question and everyone either answers or drinks. Needless to say, they're all pretty wasted and now out of alcohol. So Mick, being the gentleman he is, goes and steals some more from their dear captain. He manages to make it look like he only stole the one bottle and Rip already seems very flustered by the loss of said bottle. Good thing he doesn't know about the dozen other Mick's already lifted.

 

* * *

 

Change of plans. Now, they're no longer killing Savage, but instead they're putting him in Time jail or something. Bastard might even get erased from time. Though, with the whole immortality thing, might raise a few problems. Whatever, 's not like Mick cares anyway. As long as that son of a bitch is taken care of, and Mick can finally head home with Len, it doesn't matter. It's a stupid plan but most of the team is squeamish about actually having to kill Savage. As always, fine with the idea, not fine with the execution of said idea. To the Vanishing Point then.

Len, Sara and Mick head back to Sara's room but none of them is really up for celebrating anymore. Len looks bothered by something. He's not biting his lips yet but has the frown and distant look that are a sure sign of his brain working full speed. Sara seems concerned but a look at Mick's face tells her not to ask. Len won't answer until he's ready anyway. All the drinking made Mick hungry, so he heads to the kitchen, Len following him distractedly. Sara doesn't though. Mick turns and she's heading back to the bridge, shoulders set, looking determined. Mh. Seems like Hunter's in trouble. Mick turns back and follows Len to the kitchen. He hopes they have snacks on this ship. He had to specifically go to the 21st Century and stash them, back when he was on his own ship. Sugary goodness.

Mick's stomach growls. Kitchen. Right.

 

* * *

 

Mick's gonna kill Haircut later. Fucking idiot let Savage out of his cell and now they have to pick up the pieces.

No wonder Len has a bad feeling about this. Things have started spiraling out of control ever since they got Mister Conquering-the-World-is-my-Hobby on board.

First the kid got drenched in temporal radiations, then they learned that their dearest Captain was willing to sacrifice them all for a chance to save his family, and if it wasn't enough already, as Mick and Len were about to leave and go back to 2016, they discovered that the Prof had already sent the Jumpship back. It had been to try and save Jax's life but it didn't change anything about the fact that Len had "an Alexa feeling" about this and that now they were trapped like rats.

So now they need to get rid of Savage once and for all, with the help of a team of dumbasses who wouldn't be able to kill a fly to save their own lives. Well, except Sara. And maybe Hunter.

 

* * *

 

Mick is back in a cell once again. Clearly, he's not happy.

Why did that happen anyway? Oh right. The Time Masters are a bunch of assholes and they're full of bullshit, as always. He had just gone to check on his gun and get some time alone to think. Sara had herded Len away with the promise of a game of poker and a knowing smile to Mick. Yeah, Mick was still a bit shaky, the adrenaline from the fight not quite out of his system yet. And it had been Haircut's fault again, running right into Savage's embrace like that. What was he, his lover?

Anyway, after checking that his gun was still functioning, Mick had been thinking and drinking, kinda celebrating Carter's return and the end of their mission when, surprise, guards came in and arrested them. Mick noticed the absence of Len or Sara among the captured and remained calm. Surely Len would break him, them out. Always had. Well, almost always. All he needs to do now is to have faith in his partner.

 

* * *

 

"You should be familiar with this procedure, Chronos."

Ah, hell.

Of course it was gonna end up that way, with Mick back in that fucking chair. He remembers now. The induction process was painful and ripping. It had felt like a thousand lives, like dying over and over and over again, like being reborn anew each time and torn to pieces until he couldn't take it anymore.

"For a Time Master, you sure waste a lot of it."

"Even with only a partial induction, you were the greatest of our hunters, Chronos."

Yeah, no wonder they want him back. Well, it's Chronos they want, not Mick himself. Mick really really wishes he could be somewhere else. Maybe it would be better if Len didn't come to save him in the end, 'cause Mick doesn't want his best friend to have to see him like that again.

"Mm, well, for your sake, you better hope that plan works. 'Cause if it doesn't, that boot's gonna crush your skull."

The electricity doesn't take him by surprise but the pain does. It's the kind of pain you can't be prepared for, that lights every inch of your body and is thunder and blades and fire and ice. Burning and destroying and making him lose himself.

No.

No he won't.

Not this time.

Can't let those fuckers twist him again. Last time, his hate helped him get through this, he just gotta find something to anchor his mind, his self to. Can't play the hate card this time, evidently. Mick tries to think of stuff he has strong feelings about. His loyalty to the team could do, his loyalty to Len would do, but in the end, it's obvious, isn't it. Mick just needs to think of Len. Len who would stay with Mick on stormy nights, as Mick marveled at the chaos and raw beauty of the sky.

"Tell me... what is your name?"

Len, whose less than rare smiles are mostly directed to Mick, and to things Mick said, or did.

"Your name."

Len who never said or showed he loved Mick in any way but never strayed far from him either.

"Your name!"

Len who has become Mick's whole world. Len. Leonard Snart, robber of ATMs, is all Mick Rory needs to remain sane. Well, as sane as he can be anyway.

"Your-"

"Chronos."

"Release him."

All he needs is Len. He puts on the bounty hunters armor and follows. All he needs- All he needs-

"Put the gun down, Mick."

And Len is here.

"Chronos, fire."

Mick grins under the helmet.

"Sure thing."

Satisfaction fills him as he pulls the trigger and shoots the babbling Time Master. The man's voice is a grating sound, the memory of past pain tied tightly to it.

"If I recall, I made you a certain promise." And Mick keeps his promises. There's something proud in Len's eyes when he takes the goggles off, but then they have to go, and Mick has no time to revel in the knowledge that he is the focus of the feelings that have been showing in Len's eyes more and more.

 

* * *

 

Rip has fantastic news for them.

"The Time Masters have this thing called the Oculus, which allows them not only to gaze into the future, but to engineer it."

"A future where I'm dead, apparently." Ray adds dreadfully.

"And there's more." Rip says, looking disgusted.

"What?" Mick asks.

"While Druce was bragging about the Oculus, someone else showed up. Savage."

"Wait. So that son of a bitch is still in the Vanishing Point." Sara points out.

"Means we won't have to search for him this time. Good." Len smirks.

But Hunter is shaking his head. "I'm afraid it's more complicated than that."

Turns out a future version of Savage is the founder of the order of the Time Masters. And by future, Hunter means thousands of years older. Mick wants to scoff at the idea but between that, the Oculus and the precise manipulation of Hunter and the team, it all makes perfect sense. Well, it's not like it changes anything but it means that their enemy might know their every move before they do. It means that they might be nothing more than puppets. It's not a very appealing idea.

"Then we need to do what they don't want. If the Oculus is what they're using to control us, then we need to destroy it." Ray states. Haircut's ideas are usually crap or too naive to work, but this one, this one might just be what they need. They all seem to agree on that.

"This is madness."

Wait. If Len's thinks it's a bad idea...

"I like it."

Len is actually grinning like a cat. Good.

To the Oculus thing then.

 

* * *

 

"I got this. I want revenge on those bastards. Now get outta here." Mick shouts, having knocked Haircut out cold. He shoved his hand in the damn thing and is pushing the damn thing that keeps trying to pop up again.

When Mick looks again, Hunter's gone and Ray with him. The Englishman probably shrunk that idiot down and took off. Wise choice. Now all he's gotta do is hold his position until everything blows. He kinda has regrets about leaving Len but he's seen the way his partner looks at Sara. Len will be fine.

"Mick."

Ah, hell. Damn idiot came back for him, of course he did. Shoulda known better.

"Get outta here."

"Not without you, Mick." _'I abandoned you once, I'm not gonna do it again.'_

Mick wants to roll his eyes. He ain't about to let his partner, his best friend, his everything die 'cause he was too stubborn not leave when he shoulda.

"Pretty boy said I gotta hold this stick for the ship to blow. So I'm holding this stick. Now leave!" _'Someone needs to do this or we're all dead anyway.'_

"My old friend, please forgive me." What? "For what?"

But then, there's nothing but darkness.

 

* * *

 

The bridge has never been more silent.

Len left his ring but kept the Cold Gun. Sentimental fool. Mick twirls the ring between his fingers, over and over and over. Even the best plans can go sideways, eh? Damn ring won't fit, not even on his pinkie. Haircut says something, then Sara too. But there's a ringing sound in Mick's ears and he can't hear anything but the beating of his own heart.

Len wouldn't want him to mourn, so he can't. And Mick can't cry, hasn't cried in decades, not sure he even remembers how. Len would want vengeance though, for his death to be paid for in blood.

That.

That's something Mick can do. Bloodlust settles in his veins, a dark song that promises retribution. All he needs now is someone who deserves it.

Haircut followed him to the kitchen. This time, Mick hears him. Doesn't mean he wants to listen. But then, Ray gives him a target.

"Savage still has Carter and Kendra."

Just like that, Mick can focus on going forward once more. At least for now. Later will come fast enough. For now, vengeance is all that counts.

 


	9. In which Grievous is the best Sith, but Palpatine and Dooku aren't too shabby either

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. 
> 
> Next chapter will be from Len's POV, and it's gonna be one long ass chapter  
> I might write a follow-up story to this once the 2nd season of Legends of Tomorrow is finally out.
> 
> Thanks to all of you dear readers for your support and your love, your lovely comments fill the dark void of my soul and keep me going.

 

 

They were gonna go after Savage and make that son of a bitch pay for what he'd done, save Kendra and Carter and well, probably the world while they were at it. Because Savage most definitely had a back-up plan, now that his whole operation with the Time Masters had been foiled. Of course he had. That guy was thousands of years old and a time-traveler who had meet an even older version of himself and plotted with said older version.

But then Rip decided to go solo. And not Han Solo. He left them all in 2016, six months after their departure and walked away. Just walked away without a look back. So now Mick is trapped in a time-period where, when he can't have his vengeance. Oh sure, he could spill blood here but it won't be Savage's blood. It won't satisfy the dark lust that sings in his veins. It's an itch under his skin that now, he won't be able to scratch. Ever.

So he does the only thing he knows how to do, the only thing that will make him feel good. Mick goes on a job. Small bank, piece of cake. He picks a guy and plans an easy hit. But it all feels... wrong. Stealing without Len makes him feel like something is amiss, and his 'partner' of the night is really useless. That waste of air shoots a guard when they could have escaped without a hitch, escaped without casualties. Escaped following Len's rules. Mick wants to face-palm. He burns that idiot to a crisp instead.

Then Haircut is in the car somehow, with his goofy smile and innocent eyes. Drives to a parking and spits some non-sense about how Len must have wanted this. Wanted Boyscout Ray to be Mick's partner now. What a load of crap. Mick doesn't know where Haircut got this stupid idea from but they're not gonna be partners in crime. Mick had a partner. Seen how that worked out already. But that's not what Ray means. He promised Mick vengeance, and he's come to deliver.

Ray gets him back to that semi-abandoned parking lot where they had embarked, then been disembarked from the Waverider, and surprise surprise, the whole band is there. None of them consulted with the others, except for pairs, like how Ray had brought Mick along. They're all here for the same reason. Mick sees it in their eyes and postures. They all have unfinished business waiting times away.

The nerds babble in techno-linguo, something about sending a call to Hunter and the ship, and then the ship's there, all shiny chromes and the low whir of the reactors. Rip comes out and Mick needs to check, so he smacks him lightly in the shoulder. To the Englishman's offended expression he adds "Just checking to see if you're real this time." Dear Captain Dumbass doesn't seem very willing to get them back on board, not wanting to lose another member of the crew, but Mick is having none of it.

"We get your point. Now get ours. That ship's not taking off without us. You got that?"

 

Ginger lashes out at Hunter, holding a knife to his throat, the moment they arrive on the bridge. The idiot in the long-coat zaps her and asks, no, commands Mick to take her away so she can "sleep it off". Under other circumstances, Mick would have told Rip off and ignored him entirely, enjoying the show from the sidelines, maybe even punched their good captain for good measure. But Mick actually wants to talk to Sara privately. He kinda remembers the way she didn't quite look him in the eye, after. Maybe it's nothing but he has that weird intuition that she might be hiding something from him. So he's gotta ask.

He takes her to his cabin, lays her to the back of the bed, her favorite spot on those bunks they all have. By habit, Mick moves to the left of the bunk, leaving space for- but then he remembers. No-one is gonna sit on the right part, there's no need to make space for someone else, because there is no-one else. He keeps forgetting. Why can't his mind just accept it? When Mick's eyes finally come up again and turn in Sara's direction, she's awake and looking at him. Her gaze too, goes to that empty spot, that spot that shouldn't be empty.

Alright, enough's enough.

"Ginger-" But she cuts him off.

"Mick, I-" And for the first time since he's met the girl, Mick sees Sara Lance hesitate. He's heard what she said about her sister but this, this is different. This is about something else. And Mick wants answers but- She never pushed him. So she deserves it, for Mick to wait and not be the blunt, in-your-face answers-now person he usually is. She swallows and holds his gaze, even though hers is filled with unshed tears and pain, so much pain.

  
"When he went to get you... I followed him. I got you out..." Mick stays silent, as she pauses.

"You should have seen how he looked at you... He wanted- no, he needed you out. Mick, I- I kissed him. For you. And... I think he understood."

"You kissed him."

"Yes."

"For me." She just looks at him, a single tear streaming down her face.

"Yes.", she says, her voice rough.

Mick comes closer and slowly he sits next to her, filing most of the left over space with his large bulk.  
"Thank you." He bumps her shoulder with his own, a reassurance and an apology all rolled in one. 'You shouldn't have had to be the one to do that' (But there's no-one to understand those unspoken words anymore.) He looks away at nothing but sees her looking at him again, and whatever she sees on his face, it seems to calm her a bit.

"One good memory to think of 'til the end." And she gets it, a shaky smile flashing like a ray of sun on her lips. She wipes the tear away angrily, gaze cast down. They're close, so close. Mick feels the weight of her head on his shoulder, as she rests it onto him. Mick isn't much of a hugger but he awkwardly wraps an arm around her. She'll think clearly again once it's all out.

"Tell me about your sister." And she sinks into his heat, her breath labored, her eyes closing tightly for an instant. Mick won't cry, Mick can't mourn. All he has is vengeance and he can see that right now, she is as consumed as he is.

What they need ain't each other, but that's all they have left.

 

* * *

 

"So this is a spaceship?"

"It's a timeship, but yes, it does also travel through space."

Birdman is disoriented. Poor bastard can barely align two thoughts. And now, he's their best shot at finding Savage again? Well, they're so screwed, aren't they.

"Perhaps we can start with what Savage was doing in 1944."

"He said something about, um... Thanagarian technology."

"Thanagarian?"

"The Thanagarians were race of extraterrestrials." Rip explains.

"He also said that this technology was actually three meteors."

Gideon interrupts, showing some footage of Savage actually recovering one of the meteors.

"I've seen that rock before. Savage had one of those in 1958." Jax says, looking extremely unhappy.

"He took our blood. He said that it was the only way of unlocking the meteors without triggering them."

"What do you mean, triggering?"

Carter frowns, trying to find an answer that would make sense in his scrambled brain. "Something about ... a threat? To mankind? That they would explode or something."

Mick is the first to understand. "Bombs. The meteors are bombs."

They all look at him like he's insane but he just shrugs. Makes sense to him.

"They're probably not just bombs. If I had to guess, I'd say bio-weapon. Or something of the kind." Well, at least Sara seems to see the logic in Mick's deduction.

"Please, miss Lance, it doesn-"

"It makes sense."

"Thanks." Mick grumbles. Sara smiles back.

"The first wave of meteors hit in Ancient Egypt, in, what, 2000 BC?"

"1700 BC." Carter provides.

"Think about it. The Thanagarians want to send bombs somewhere, but they're not entirely sure of the trajectory or strength they need. So at first, they send a lot of them. For all we know, maybe the Thanagarians sent hundreds, if not thousands of meteors, but only a couple landed here. If they put homing beacons in those, when one finally landed, they only had to send their real bombs and they would have arrived exactly where they wanted. But before that, they had to be sure that one of their homing meteor had landed so they needed to wait to get a ping back."

"Hence the delay between the first time the meteors hit and the second meteor's arrival." The Prof chimes in, following their train of thought. "Almost 4000 years." Sara nods.

"The beacon, no, all of the meteors would need a powerful source of energy to stay active until the Thanagarians arrive." Haircut has caught up too.

"And that's what Savage covets." Rip is in as well.

 

With those discoveries in head, the Prof calculates the closest two years during which Earth and Thanagar were aligned and so, during which meteors could have landed. Ray devises a way to track down the meteors unique radiation so that as long as they are in the same time period, they will be able to pinpoint the meteors location. They separate into three teams.

Mick and Ray go to 1958, to try and recover the meteor they know Savage found back then. Mick might even have a shot at getting his revenge. Kendra might be the only one that can kill Savage definitely, but he can still watch the madman burn and hopefully soothe the bloodlust that sings in his veins. But when they get there, there's no meteor, no Savage, no nothing. They get back to the ship and Sara's team is back too, just as empty handed.

Sara and Firestorm had gone back to 1975, to that warehouse where they'd first tracked down Savage, at the very beginning of their 'adventure'. Meteor should have been there, but it wasn't and the trail vanished in the middle of nowhere. Rip looks worried and Mick has a bad feeling about this. What if one of the Savages that have a timeship came and took the meteors away before Mick and the others showed up? If that's what happened, they're in deep shit.

 

* * *

 

Well, shit. It's in this kind of situation that Mick hates to be right.

Three meteors, two Savages, one tied up, and by the look of it, unconscious Kendra and a small army of mercenaries are on a rooftop, one of Savages tracing weird symbols on the ground as the other circles around Kendra like a shark. Why a roof? Mick has no idea. Maybe Savage owns the building, who knows. But the poorly defended and open place allowed the team to sneak up pretty close.

"When can I kill him?" Mick keeps asking, like a bored kid who has spent too long locked up in a car.

"We need to free Kendra first." Sara keeps answering, a bit distractedly.

There's tension running among them. They separated into three teams once again, so that they would have more chance of one of them getting to Kendra and freeing her. Carter has the mace with which Kendra, and only her, can finally kill Savage once and for all. Hell, with their luck, something is bound to go wrong. Sara is as still as Mick is barely restraining himself from jumping out of cover and making a run for it. He entertains the idea, calculating trajectories and how many he could take out before biting the dust. Dying doesn't frighten Mick. It never really did, but before he was afraid of losing Len. Now... Well now, he has nothing to lose, right?

The Savage that had been tracing symbols moves to the meteors and calls for the other Savage to do the same. They both smear some blood over the respective meteor they have in front of them and damn, the black and blue rocks crack open, revealing a sphere that looks an awful lot like the one from the Waverider, except smaller and shining a blinding blue light. The Savages take the spheres to the symbols. It seems like both of them are occupied. 

"I think that's our cue." Mick hears Ray say in the earpiece.

"Now." Rip adds. And they launch a full blown assault.

Mick and Sara are supposed to keep the mercenaries at bay, while the others free Kendra and get rid of Savage, plural. But they make short work of their opponents. Mick and Sara both have extensive training in fighting while being outnumbered. Soon enough, they've moved from their own objective to keeping one of the Savages busy. Using her staff, Sara tackles him to the ground and then steps away, knowing full well what Mick has got planned next.

"You can't kill me! I'm immortal!"

"Means I get to kill you more than once, 's all." And then he sets him ablaze. Watches him burn and when the man emerges from the ashes once more, Mick simply burns him to ashes again. And again. And again. Until the world around them cease to exit and Mick's only focus is Savage burning. Savage suffering. Savage paying for Mick's pain. Oh, Mick's getting more than his share of retribution. Mick might have stopped being consumed by fire some time ago, but now he's consumed by vengeance. And it's not enough. It'll never be enough.

Suddenly, just as Mick is about ignite his prize once more, the man crumbles from within in a soundless scream and shades of white light. Mick has seen this before. He turns and for sure, Kendra is over there, half-covered in blood, standing in front of the corpse of Vandal Savage. She got hold of the dagger at some point and stabbed the immortal in the heart, ensuring his eternal demise. It's over, isn't it.

 

* * *

  
Rip offers him a chance to see Len once more and Mick. Mick can't refuse. He should, he knows he should refuse, that there are too many chances of messing up with the timeline and Len, his Len, would be angry if Mick ended up messing things up again. Would have been.

The meeting leaves Mick with a taste of bile, his heart seizing in his chest and he feels empty. That wasn't his Len, not really. One day, it would be. But not yet. Maybe never. Maybe Mick did mess things up. He feels so void, after the whispers of promised bloodshed and then the dark sweetness of murder. There's nothing left but emptiness and cold in him. He feels cold, oh so cold inside. Well, there's a first for everything. He welcomes it, that coldness that's as close to getting the only thing he ever really needed in his life back. It keeps the hurt away just enough that Mick can go forward again.

They go back to the ship, Mick leading the way with the two idiots in tow, trying to find words for him. Like it would help. But then something happens. There's something in the cargo bay. A large box that wasn't there before. Rip frowns.

"Gideon? Who brought this onboard?"

"You and a friend of yours did, captain."

"What? No I didn't." But Gideon projects a video feed that clearly shows Rip Hunter and someone wearing a black hood over his head pushing the box into the cargo bay. Well not exactly pushing it, since the box seems to be hovering a few inches away from the ground. The hooded man places it where it currently stands, other-Rip making small talk with Gideon.

"Gideon, make sure to remind of this box when I come back again, would you?"

"Of course, captain. Anything else?"

"No, thank you. I'm just returning this where it belongs." A small wistful smile flashes on other-Rip's face. The other man lowers the box until it touches the ground, detaches something from the side and then the pair is leaving. The time stamp shows that this happened 15min ago, give or take a handful of seconds.

Rip's expression is somewhere in between completely puzzled and that of a child whose candy just got stolen from his hands, and Haircut's gaping on hair like a fish, alternatively looking at the box and Rip, eyes bulging a bit, so Mick does the rational thing. He opens the box. Inside the box, there's another box. Black and sleek and metallic with blinking lights and a small panel on the side. Rip jumps forward.

"A cryo-pod? Why the hell would I-" Rip passes his hand in his hair.

"Gideon, call the rest of the team, we need to get this pod into the medbay." Mick makes a questioning sound but Ray is the one to ask.

"Can't we just open it here?"

"No, no you can't just open a cryo-pod anywhere. Whoever is in there, if we don't want to kill them, which we don't, we're going to need Gideon to check their vitals as they go through the defrosting process. There's also a chance that the pod's resident might be injured, in which case, we're gonna need the medbay's equipment." Rip explains with a lot of hand waving, a few whirls and head tilts, and that stressed expression he has when he has to do something and his mind is already three steps further.

Jax is the first to arrive.

"Gideon said you called?"

"Gotta haul this thing all the way to the medbay, kid. C'mere, grab this side." Mick grunts, getting on one side of the box. The kid eyes the box then the stairs.

"No offense man, but that's not gonna pass." Mick grunts, ready to prove that he can totally push that big ass box up the stairs, okay not without breaking a sweat and maybe his back, but he can totally do it, but Rip chimes in, handing him a small disc.

"Put that on the side and you'll see that the gravity concerning that object has been tempor...arily...nullified..." Rip is frowning, his words slowing and his tone changing towards the end of his explaination. Mick snorts.

"Just like Gideon showed us, right." He places the small device on the box and indeed, he barely has to lift and the pod moves up. It takes some adjusting but Mick is soon maneuvering the cryo-pod out of the cargo-bay. To the medbay.

Rip rushed to prepare the medbay, so when Mick arrives, there's a large empty space in the medbay, right where the chair used to be. Mick pushes-pulls the pod until Rip makes a sign to lower it. He moves to take off the antigravity disk but Rip stops him.

"Make sure it's in contact with the ground first." Mick grunts but checks the bottom and indeed, there's a small distance, barely enough to be seen, between the bottom of the pod and the ground.

"Why the extra precaution?" Jax asks as Mick pushes the box down until it makes contact. Rip takes the disk off and there's a soft clank.

"Cryo-pods weight a lot. This thing-" Rip says, pointing at the sleek black box."-could easily rip the ship apart if it fell from too high." There's a moment of silence as they consider this. Okay, maybe Mick would have broken more than his back.

"Gideon sai- What is that?" Stein finally arrived. As he starts explaining, Rip hooks the pod to various cables but Mick is not interested, so he leaves. He did his part and anyway, he still feels sick from that talk he had. He needs a shower and to get his mind off of the matter of Len's death, not that there's any chance of that happening anytime soon.

"Mick!" Ah hell. And now, pretty boy is following him around. Great, just great. Mick stops and turns toward Ray, rearranging his expression into one of annoyment, hoping Haircut will get the message and leave him alone.

"Are you- hum, are you okay?" And here goes Mick's hope.

"Define okay."

"I mean... On the roof. I saw you. Your expressio-"

"Haircut." And Ray looks at him with that expression that always reminds Mick of a puppy.

"I'm fine. Just let it be." And Mick leaves.

 

* * *

 

He steps out of the shower, naked as the day he was born and Sara is there in his room. They gawk at each other for a second and then her gaze naturally slides down, and hell, Mick needs to be back in the bathroom, now. The door slides and closes behind him and he puts some clothes on, grumbling all the while. Truthfully, it kinda is his fault but he didn't expect her to get back to their old habits. He steps out again, fully clothed this time. Sara smiles slyly.

"Totally won that bet."

"What are you doing here?" Something's different about Ginger.

"You need to see this." She leads the way, he follows and yes, there's definitely a spring in her walk that wasn't there before. They're back to the medbay and the pod is still closed. The whole team is in there and they all turn toward Mick the moment he steps in. What the hell's going on? He narrows his eyes and tenses. Rip comes from the back and he looks... apologetic? That's new.

"We figured you'd want to be there. Gideon, please open the pod."

"Of course, Captain." Sara waves for Mick to come closer and he does.

The pod's door opens in a weird way, sliding away into the side of the cryopod. And then, Mick's brain comes to a halt. Because the person in the pod is none other than Leonard Snart. But it can't be. Len's dead, blown away in a supernova explosion. Nothing could have survived that kind of stuff. And yet, there's Len's face looking more peaceful than Mick's ever seen his best friend be. Mick hears Rip but he can't tear his eyes away from the sleeping face he thought he'd never see again.

"I've had Gideon run all the test I could think of. It's neither a clone nor an earlier version of Mr Snart. As far as Gideon can tell, this is Leonard Snart. The Leonard Snart that we-."

"We figured if it wasn't him, you'd be the only one able to tell the difference, given your... history." Haircut adds.

"It's gonna take him some time to wake up, so sit tight." Someone puts a chair behind him and Mick sits, never taking his eyes away from the pod and what it contains. The others fill out, by pair or alone. Sara stays longer, silent and supportive as usual but in the end, she leaves too, leaving Mick alone with a storm of thoughts and emotions. He can't let himself hope too much, he tries to tell himself but it's hard to be dead inside when his reason to live is right in front of him. How did this happen? How did they miss this? How is this even possible? How. Mick has a lot of questions and he needs answers. Good thing his Lenny always had some.

 

* * *

 

It might have been an hour, or ten, since Sara left but Mick doesn't care. And he can tell the exact moment Len wakes up. Most people would be unable to tell because Len lies there, his breathing still even and his body still lax. But there's this subtle tensing of his shoulders and the way the muscles around his ears move almost imperceptibly. Len's awake and apparently he doesn't know where he is.

"You're on the ship, in the infirmary. Only me." And Len's eyes flutter open, zeroing on Mick's after a second of looking at the ceiling.

"When." Good question.

"Been a bit less than a week since our last ... talk."

Len moves slowly and winces a few times as he tries to extirpate himself from the pod. But apparently being frozen has side effects and Mick moves to help Len. Len hates that he is this weak, Mick can tell from the way his jaw clenches, but he's also grateful that Mick's the only one to see him in this state. Len's cold, not in his manners, but literally. Mick can feel the frost lingering on his skin as he sits Len in the chair he had been occupying not two minutes ago. Len leans back. But if he looks physically tired, his eyes are still sharp as ever. Mick knows that if this is really Len, he won't answer any question until he's had answers to his own questions.

"What happened. After." Len's voice is strangely tight.

"Rip brought us back and left." It gets him a raised eyebrow and light snort.

"Yeah. Haircut and the prof tinkered around and made some sort of emitter to call him back and we all got back onboard. Found Savage, and our pretty Bird Lady killed him. That's about it." Len nods and seems to get lost in thought.

"What happened to you?" Because Mick definitely needs answers and Len doesn't seem to have anymore questions. Len seems to hesitate, his jaw moving around and his eyes staring into nothing. It doesn't last long though, and finally Len looks back at Mick, tense and sharp and tired.

"It's a long story. You brought me back." And they hold each other gaze, Mick frowning and Len's expression indecipherable, but the recently unfrozen thief doesn't seem to want to add anything to his cryptic answer. After what seems like an eternity, he looks at the pod.

"As fun as this has been, could you hand me my clothes?" Len drawls in that icy lazy voice.

"There's a compartment on the side." He adds as Mick fails to find the aforementioned clothes. And sure enough, there's a barely visible line that slides to reveal some sort of drawer, filled with Len's clothes. Is there anything in that box that doesn't slide. Len gets dressed, looking clearly more comfortable as he finally puts his jacket back on. There's no gun.

"Where's your gun?"

"We need to talk, Mick." There're emotions dancing in Len's eyes. _'I gotta tell you something'_

"Mr Snart, good to see you again." Of course, Rip would pick that moment to come back to the medbay, the rest of the team following in his steps. Everyone wants to talk to Len, everyone has questions, especially their dear Captain, but true to himself, Len leaves them all with cryptic comments and witty remarks. Mick doesn't listen. Len looks back to normal but it's because he only trusted Mick with his state of weakness. Len doesn't want any of the others to know just how tired he actually is.

"Now, if you don't mind, there's somewhere I gotta be."

"And where would that be?" Mick almost laughs because really, Rip should know better than to ask stupid questions.

"Home."

 

* * *

 

"Nooooooooooooooo!" Obi-Wan screams, trapped behind the laser door as his mentor and friend is pierced by their opponents laser saber. The red faced Sith, Dark Maul, comes back to the door, waiting for it open, having seemingly lost all interest he had in Qui-Gon, now that the Jedi is dead. Mick sits back in his spot and hands Len one of the beers he had gone to get. But Len's no longer watching the movie, staring at Mick instead.

"What."

"You're in love with me." Straight to the point. Hell. Mick swallows dryly.

"Yeah."

"Good." Wait, what.

"What?" But Len's back to looking at the movie and Mick. Mick has a hundred questions and his heart beats too fast and damn, he has never felt more alive. But his patience runs dry as Obi-Wan lands on Kamino, on the trail of a mysterious poisoned dart.

"Len." And that asshole smirks, smug as fuck, his own patience seemingly endless. Mick knows Len could have totally waited until the end of all seven movies, and then probably some more.

"Yes, Mick, what is it?"

"Whaddidya mean?"

"What do you think?" Mick rolls his eyes at the teasing tone.

"Stop avoiding the subject. You wanted to talk, talk." And Len's smirk vanishes. Too blunt?

"I like you, Mick." On the screen, Anakin kisses Padme, not that is has any kind of importance. Neither of them of likes the future Vader anyway. Len always had a thing for Dooku and Palpatine, and Mick enjoys Grievous rampage and insanity way too much.

"But you've always been a very sexual person, and I'm not-"

"You're not attracted to guys."

"I'm not attracted to anyone." Mick frowns. Len's tense again but not closed.

"I don't get it." Len steals a glance at Mick.

"There's this thing called asexuality. Just like being gay or not caring about your partner's gender, which is apparently called pansexuality. You're pansexual, right?" It's not quite a question but Mick's never even thought about it. He fucked people left and right and while he almost always sticked to women, falling in love with Len never once made him question his sexuality.

"Ugh."

"Well, asexuals, like me, we don't... get attracted sexually. At all. Ever." Len continues without a pause. "I guess I just... don't feel it."

"So. You like me. But you don't want to bang me." Mick must have said something right, because Len relaxes.

"Yes. Though, to be honest, I don't really care." Mick hums, then moves. And his lips collide with Len's. They're soft and dry and dammit cold as ice.

"You're cold." Len shrugs and abandons the conversation entirely as Dooku starts fighting the Jedis. As he flees the scene, having wiped the floor with the Jedis, Len returns to Mick.

"The gun's merged with me." Mick grunts then kisses Len again. Len breaks for air, something like wonder dancing there in his eyes.

"You don't mind."

"I don't care." They abandon the movie, taking this to Len's room, 'cause Mick's bed is a disaster. Mick tries to carry Len there but that ain't happening, Len swatting his hands away. Len's room is big enough for a large bed, a few crates and an armchair, onto which the thief starts discarding his clothes as he gets naked. He turns to Mick, an eyebrow raised. Straight to business as usual.

  
"Mick." Mick groans like a dying man, clothes too tight and he needs them off of him, now. Maybe he rips them a bit in his haste but soon enough he has an armful of Len and as they land on the bed, everything stops mattering. It doesn't matter whose mouth is on who, whose hands are on who. Len has an almost silent chuckle coming out of him and though his moves are slightly disconnected, as if he needs to think them through before doing anything, he's still there, still himself and in Mick's arm. Mick would lie if he said that entering Len is a revelation or that it feels like nothing he has ever felt before, and okay, the cold is a new thing but it's Len. And that simple fact has Mick hovering on the edge much sooner than he would ever admit it. But Len doesn't seem to be quite there yet.

So Mick gets to work, his hands slowly working Len until his lover (and damn Mick loves that word) is panting, his eyes half closed. It takes longer than it ever would have with anyone else but Mick likes challenges. He pushes and pulls and hits a spot inside of Len until Len's grip on his shoulders is a vice he can't escape and his favorite thief in the world clenches around him, hard. And for a moment, they're like two strings spun tightly around each other, tangled and inseparable.

Then Len starts unraveling. Mick can see it, the moment Len comes. His eyes close and he relaxes, his grip on Mick's shoulders becoming a simple brush of fingers. Len lets a content sigh escape his lips and goes lax under Mick. Len looks soft and happy. It doesn't last long though. Mick barely has time to revel in the sight that Len's eyes snap open and he's rolling them over, getting on top of Mick. Len is in charge again. Not that he had ever really stopped but he had surrendered himself to Mick, even it had been for just a moment. Mick blinks a few times, uncertain of what's going on. Len is rocking slowly on top of him, keeping Mick on the edge. Mick can't help the low rumbling sounds that he makes. Len wraps a hand around Mick's throat and tilts Mick's head toward him. Then he kisses him. And that kiss is both a cold precise, almost surgical move and the dirtiest and most sinful thing Mick has ever experienced. Mick moans wantonly and he can clearly hear Len chuckle into his mouth, the familiar smirk forming against his own mouth. Mick lasts about two seconds after that. He sees white, wildfire coursing through his veins and it takes him some time to come back to himself.

Len is looking at him, a smug expression on his face. He kisses Mick again but this time it's very chaste and soft, butterfly's wings brushing against his skin. And then he's off Mick, grimacing at the sweat and come he's covered in. "Shower?" Mick would take him up on his offer except he's having trouble coming down from the heights of his own orgasm. "How are you even up?", he grumbles instead, trying to roll towards Len and failing spectacularly. "Well, you did all the work.", Lenny drawls with a smirk. "Guess I'll be showering on my own then." And Mick makes a sound like a dying animal which gets him another throaty laugh from Len. Shit, he loves the sound of Lenny's laugh.

 

* * *

 

"Every time they do that, I get hungry for chicken." Mick comments. Len snorts.

They showed to accept Rip's offer of traveling to protect the timeline. The Bird Band ain't coming around this time, which was to be expected, with Savage being out of the picture and all. But it seems that everyone else is onboard. Mick looks at Len and it's almost imperceptible, but Len has never looked happier. Sara noticed and winked at the two of them while whispering "About time you two."

"So, shall we?"

But then, there's a boom in the sky and-

"Is that-"

"The Waverider."

They all run for cover. Damn ship's going so fast, it's probably going to explode when it touches ground. But no, the ship crash-lands and it seems to be in a pitiful state. Someone comes out of it and Mick has seen that hooded figure somewhere before.

"Is this 2016? Is this May 2016?"

"Yeah."

"You're exactly where you said you'd be." And Mick recognizes him. It's the hooded man who put the cryopod in the Waverider, their Waverider. He opens his mouth-

"I'm sorry. Who exactly are you?"

"My name is Rex Tyler. I'm a member of the justice Society of America." Then the stranger, Rex Tyler, seems to notice Len.

"Hey, Snart."

"Hello, Rex." 

What the hell.

 


End file.
